Illumination array structure

ABSTRACT

A lighting element for illumination preferably having a single elongated envelope containing a gaseous medium emitting white or colored, continuous or intermittent, light upon excitation by electrical current. The envelope is formed in a tortuous configuration and, preferably includes within a single envelope all of the poles of the array. The said poles each have a substantially parallel, preferably vertical axis and are at least four in number with one of this number being substantially centrally located relative to the remaining poles of the array. The array is so constructed that at least 75 percent of the surface areas of the exterior facing poles thereof are viewable on any vertical plane substantially parallel to the vertical axis of the array from any point on any such vertical plane spaced a distance at least equal to the closest spacing between the exterior surfaces of the most proximate viewable pole and the nearest pole thereto. Preferably the point of viewing is many multiples of such distance. In preferred embodiments, the amount of light viewable from any of said points on any of said planes is substantially equal. In further preferred embodiments, the exterior poles, excluding the central pole, are cylindrically disposed, as if they were positioned on the outer wall of a cylinder substantially parallel to the poles and to the vertical axis of the array. The poles are so disposed as to achieve maximum effective viewable illumination per unit of light lumens and per unit of wattage. The described embodiments eliminate, or reduce to a minimum, any flicker observable by a viewer as the viewer moves relative to the lighting element.

United States Patent [1 1 Vivari [451 Sept. 3, 1974 I ILLUMINATION ARRAYSTRUCTURE [76] Inventor: Joseph Vivari, 5015 Fort Summer Dr.,Montgomery, Md. 20016 [22] Filed: Aug. 16, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 281,006

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 453,014 9/1936 Great Britain 240/11.4 N727,428 3/1932 France 240/ll.4 N

Primary ExaminerPalmer C. Demeo Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Jesse C. Bowyer[57] ABSTRACT A lighting element for illumination preferably having asingle elongated envelope containing a gaseous medium emitting white orcolored, continuous or intermittent, light upon excitation by electricalcurrent. The envelope is formed in a tortuous configuration and,preferably includes within a single envelopeall of the poles of thearray. The said poles each have a substantially parallel, preferablyvertical axis and are at least four in number with one of this numberbeing substantially centrally located relative to the remaining poles ofthe array. The array is so constructed that at least 75 percent of thesurface areas of the exterior facing poles thereof are viewable on anyvertical plane substantially parallel to the vertical axis of the arrayfrom any point on any such vertical plane spaced a distance at leastequal to the closest spacing between the exterior surfaces of the mostproximate viewable pole and the nearest pole thereto. Preferably thepoint of viewing is many multiples of such distance. In preferredembodiments, the amount of light viewable from any of said points on anyof said planes is substantially equal. In further preferred embodiments,the exterior poles, excluding the central pole, are cylindricallydisposed, as if they were positioned on the outer wall of a cylindersubstantially parallel to the poles and to the vertical axis of thearray. The poles are so disposed as to achieve maximum effectiveviewable illumination per unit of light lumens and per unit of wattage.The described embodiments eliminate, or reduce to a minimum, any flickerobservable by a viewer as the viewer moves relative to the lightingelement.

17 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENMSEP I 8.888.828

SHEET 10F 2 PATENIEU 31574 SHEET 2 OF 2 1 ILLUMINATION ARRAY STRUCTUREBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is old in the art to use luminous tubes,such as neon tubes, as a source of illumination in which the tubes ortubing is formed as a helix or as a plurality of tubes arranged adjacentto each other. However, the defects of the prior art constructions havebeen that the configurations utilized therein have caused the blockingout of a significant number of individual tubes by others of the tubesat any given point of sight around the periphery of the source ofillumination. In consequence, such .devices have generally had very lowefficiency and have required the use of a large number of lengthy tubesor tubing.

In the art it has been found suitable to provide illuminating elementsof the type described in the form of elongated tubes filled with agaseous medium. Such elements provide high intensity illumination andlow current consumption. When such envelopes are formed in a tortuouspath such that successive sections are close to one another, a moreconcentrated source of light emission is achieved which does not havethe characteristics of a point source of light as in incandescentfilaments or a line source of light as to straight line elements.

Prior art elements of the type described suffer the disadvantages that,although point or line sources of light are somewhat reduced, multipleconcentrated zones of light are created which, as the eye moves withrespect to a lighting element, causes a flickering effect which is notonly distracting but fatiguing. Such prior art devices do not achievemaximum viewable efficiency per lumen or per watt. As illustrative ofsuch prior art, reference is made to the following patents: Henninger etal. No. 2,217,315 and No. 2,273,520, Uyterhoeven et al. No. 2,200,940,Byrnes No. 1,898,615 and British Pat. No. 453,014.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides a lighting element .ofthe type described in which the disadvantages of the prior art areavoided by furnishing an elongated light emitting envelope includingplural parallel, preferably vertical poles arranged such thatconcentrated zones of light are avoided, the poles and array having agenerally unidirectional axis.

The invention also furnishes a low, medium or high intensity lightingelement having a substantially constant level of illumination around theperiphery thereof by providing an element having plural light-emitting,parallel, preferably vertical poles disposed in an array such that thepresented exterior facing surface area of the element viewable frompoints on any plane perpendicular and substantially beyond the peripheryof the array is substantially constant. I

In a most preferred embodiment, the invention provides a lightingelement having an elongated envelope containing a gaseous mediumemitting light upon excitation by electric current; the envelope beingformed in a tortuous configuration including plural vertical poles on asubstantially common cylindrical plane and spaced from one another adistance at least equal to the width of the poles such that at leastabout 75 percent of the total exterior facing surface area of the polesis viewable from points on any plane perpendicular to the cylindricalplane.

Various alternative embodiments are described and illustrated whereinthe spacing and the widths of the poles are of differing form, theseother embodiments also accomplishing the desired results of theinvention.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will becomebetter understood to those skilled in the art by reference to thefollowing detailed descrip- .tion, when viewed in light .of theaccompanying drawings, wherein like numerals indicate like componentsthroughout the figures thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS vice with a duplicate or back-uphorizontally displaced array;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of an alternative form of the devicehaving a back-up array having different spacing than the primary array;1

FIG. 6 is a .view similar to FIG. 2 showing the centrally disposed polehaving a width substantiallygreater than the remaining poles;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 wherein one of the exteriorlydisposed poles is positioned .a greater distance from the center polethan the remaining exterior poles; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged plan view similar to FIG. 2-utilizing 12 polesinstead of the fourpoles shown in FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIG. 1, an illuminatingdevice, shown generally at 10, comprises a cap 12, a cylindrical lens14, which may be glass or a suitable transparent or colored plasticmaterial as is known in the art, a power unit 16 and a supporting base18 through which conductors 20 connect the device to a source ofelectrical current (not shown). Fresnel or other type lenses can beutilized instead of the plain lens shown if so desired.

The power unit 16 may be provided with cooling fins 22 to dissipate heatgenerated therein. The cap 12 may be provided with a lens protectingoverhang 24 and a bird-deterrent device 26. The cap and lens may becombined in one piece, particularly if vertical light emission isdesired. The power unit16 may be remotely located if so desired.

The lighting element, shown generally at v28, is disposed within thelens 14, and may be between upper and lower conical reflectors 30 and32. The cone angle of the reflector is dictated by the 'desired angle ofreflected light, e.g., a 45 cone for reflection of light at Either orboth reflectors may be eliminatedif cost or operational requirements sodictate. The element28 is formed of adjacent, substantially parallellight poles,

preferably connected into an elongated evacuated envelope having acenter input leg 34 and a parallel, generally coextensive output leg 36connected through the reflector 32 to the power unit 16 by means of astandard socket (not shown) or the like and may be secured to the baseby a spring clip or other means. The envelope and/or the individualpoles, if these do not form a single tortuous envelope, are filled witha gaseous medium, preferably one or more of the monatomic gases such asneon, helium, argon, krypton, and xenon, and mercury vapor, which emitslight when excited by the passage of electric current between electrodes(not shown) or when externally excited, as is known in the art. Thecolor of light emitted can be varied by selection of the medium (i.e.,xenon for white, neon for red, etc.) or by colored coating of theenvelope element or by using a coated or colored lens.

With reference to a preferred array embodiment shown in FIG. 2, thecenter input or output leg 34 is connected by means of a first uppercrossover 38 to a first intermediate vertical leg 40 which is parallelto the the designated legs 34 or 36 may be used as the input,

in which case the other of the designated legs is utilized as theoutput. This array and single envelope thereof thereby is formed in atortuous path including the plural vertical poles (legs 34, 36, 40 and44). All but one of these legs are substantially cylindrically disposedperpendicularly to the outer wall of a plane section of a cylinder 48,while the remaining leg (preferably input or output leg 34) is disposedsubstantially coaxial to the center of the plane. The location andchoice of which legs are selected and connected and their orientationfor forming the input and output legs may be other than as specificallyshown in FIG. 2; however, it is preferred that the socket ends of theselegs 34 and 36 be oriented in the same direction to simplify the wiringof the device, the securing of the envelope to the base, and theinstallation and/or replacement of the envelope. It will be understoodthat the crossover legs need not be formed at exact right angles to thevertical poles but that, instead, these may have a rounded or archedconfiguration, especially at the connecting points or corners betweenthe crossovers and the poles, since this facilitates the manufacture ofthe tubing.

As best seen in FIG. 3, in this embodiment the vertical poles, which maybe of any desired length and which have a width b, the poles all beingcontained within the housing or lens 14, are disposed such that thedistance a between the nearest wall point of any pole and the mostproximate pole adjacent thereto is approximately equal, but preferablyslightly less than the diameter or width b of the poles, each of thepoles having a substantially equal width b. The resulting array ofcylindrically disposed exterior poles therefore forms a pole arraydisposed in a substantially equilateral triangle on the outer edge ofplane 48, equal distances between pole walls being designated as c.

In operation, with the element 28 energized, each pole emits light andis partially opaque to transmission of light from the other polesources. Each pole therefore shades some of the light from the poles,which may be disposed therebehind, when viewed from any particular sightline around the perimeter of the cylinder 14. Since the totalillumination observed from a point on any radial plane intersecting theplane 48 (e.g., A) is a function of the total surface area of the arrayelements visible at that point, the total illumination given off by theelement 28 in that direction (towards A) is partially reduced by anamount proportional to the surface area of leg 34 which is shaded oreclipsed by leg 36 as seen in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 2 there are shown four of the illustrative vertical planes whichare substantially parallel to the axis of the vertical poles describedabove, these being designated by the lines A, B, C and D, and beingshown as extended substantially beyond the array. On each of these linesa viewing point x is designated, which point x is spaced from theexterior facing viewable surface of the most proximate pole to saidpoint a distance designated d, which is at least equal to the spacing(in this case distance a) between the exterior surface of the mostproximate viewable pole and the nearest pole thereto (in this case, suchpole being the centrally located pole 34).

An examination of FIGS. 2 and 3, the latter illustrating an embodimentin which the widths of the vertical poles are equal to the spacingbetween the exterior poles and the centrally located pole, will showthat the total reduction of illumination from any of the points x, orfrom any point radially outwardly therefrom, can be no more than 25percent irrespective of the pole or portions of poles, in summation,which are obscured. Thus, from point x a viewer will, in plane A, or inany similar plane, be able to view all of the exterior facing surfacesof poles 36, 40 and 44, the exterior viewable surface of center pole 34being totally shaded by pole 36.

In plane B, leg 34 is totally shaded by leg 44 so that visibleillumination is again reduced by no more than 25 percent. In plane C,leg 40 is totally eclipsed by leg 34, thereby again reducing theillumination by no more than 25 percent. In plane D most of pole 40 willbe eclipsed by pole 36. It will be seen by similar placement of planesat any point through the periphery of an array of tubes such as that ofelement 28 that the total area eclipsed in any plane is approximately nomore or less than 25 percent, assuming total eclipse, thereby providingan element having a constant visible illumination of percent and,thereby not only eliminating flicker, but providing a maximum possibleamount of illumination without flicker.

If the envelopes of the vertical poles do have some transmissivity forthe light emanating from the vertical pole directly eclipsed thereby,then the total illumination will be increased above 75 percent by thisadded amount of light. However, since this factor is constant for theentire area when viewed from any point, there will still be maximumillumination without flicker.

It should also be understood that one or more duplicate or standby orback-up arrays 28', similar to array 28 and having similar elements 34',36', 38, 40, 42', 44 and 46', can be situated within the lens area ofthe device with its poles circumferentially, angularly spaced from thepoles of the first array and be wired to be energized at the same time,or upon failure of the primary element. In such an arrangement, as shownin FIG. 4, the presence of the unenergized legs on a standby array wouldnot decrease light transmitted therethrough by a substantially constantfactor greater than 5 percent, which would not noticeably affect thevisible character of the illumination.

It will be understood that in the dual configuration shown in FIG. 4,the pole 34 has a height which is suffrciently lower than the crossoverbetween poles and 34 so as to avoid physical contact therebetween. Inlike fashion where any plurality of arrays are utilized which requirecrossovers, the height of the vertical legs is so chosen as to avoidcontact between these legs and the crossovers of the other array orarrays.

The structure shown in FIG. 5, contains a primary array which comprisesa first vertical pole 51, a crossover leg 52 connecting this verticalpole to a generally centrally located pole 54, a second crossover leg 56connecting said centrally disposed pole 54 to a second exteriorly, orradially outwardly disposed, vertical pole 58, and a crossover leg 60connecting outwardly disposed vertical pole 58 with vertically disposedpole 62.

The second array shown in FIG. 5 is designated generally by the numeraland is preferably used as a back-up array, and has the distance gbetween the exterior poles thereof substantially double to the spacingof the distance between the exterior poles of the first array 50. Thereis shown a first generally centrally located vertical pole 71 having awidth designated as e spaced from and connected to a vertical pole 72 bya crossover leg 73, the spacing between the said two poles beingdesignated as f. Pole 72 is connected to vertically disposed pole 74 bymeans of a second crossover leg 75 and the distance from poles 72 and 74is designated as g. Vertical pole 74 is connected by a crossover leg 77to vertical pole 76, the spacing between poles 74 and 76 also having adistance designated as g.

It will be seen that the widths of the poles of the first array 50 havetheir diameters e substantially equal to that of b, as described above,and that the spacings a and c between vertical poles have the samegeneric relationship as described above with regard to the embodimentillustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

However, the distance f is substantially twice the distance a and thedistance g is substantially twice the dis tance c. An examination ofthis second or back-up array reveals that by taking a vertical planeparallel to the vertical axis of the array, such as planes A, B, C or Dof FIG. 2, and viewing the array from any point on such a plane, atleast equal to the distance f, substantially 75 percent of the exteriorfacing viewable surface of the second array 70 is visible from any suchpoint on any such plane.

In FIG. 6 there is shown an array 80 having a generally centrallylocated vertical pole 81 having a width h and being connected bycrossover leg 82 to a radially outwardly disposed vertical pole 80 andspaced therefrom a distance 1'. Vertical pole 83 is connected bycrossover leg 84 to a second outwardly disposed vertical pole 85 and isspaced therefrom a distance i. Crossover leg 86 connects vertical pole85 with outwardly disposed vertical pole 87, poles 85 and 87 also beingspaced apart a distance i. Each of the poles 83, 85 and 87 has a widthk.'

It will be noted that the width h of the centrally located vertical poleis substantially double the width k of the remaining outwardly disposedvertical poles 83,

85 and 87. Here again there are shown vertical illustrative viewingplanes A, B, C and D generally parallel to the array axis. It will beseen that from any point on any of these planes, designated as y andspaced from the viewable surface of the most proximate pole a distance2, which distance is at least equal to the spacing between the exteriorsurfaces of the most proximate viewable pole and the nearest polethereto gives a constant maximum viewing area to the observer. In thiscase, the portion of the exterior facing viewable surfaces of the poleswhich can be seen by the observer at any of these points isapproximately 80 percent.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6, with all of the elements thereofbeing positioned as described with regard to the embodiment shown inFIG. 6, except that the pole 85 is displaced outwardly from thegenerally centrally located pole 81 a distance n which is greater thanthe distance i illustrated in FIG. 6. In consequence, the distance mremains the same as in the embodiment described with regard to FIG. 6,but the distances p between pole 85 and poles 83 and 87 is greater thanthe similar distance m between poles 83 and 87, the distance n betweenpole 81 and pole 85 being greater than the distance q between pole 81and poles 83 and 87. Here again, illustrative points on radial planes A,B, C and D are shown, and correspond to points y of FIG. 6, and thesepoints are designated as y. It will be observed that any point y on anyof these planes or any point radially outwardly disposed therefrom willresult in the viewer being able to observe about 80 percent of theexterior facing viewable surface of all of the poles of the array.

In FIG. 8 there is shown an alternative embodiment of the inventionutilizing l2 poles. The array is designated in its entirety by thenumeral and includes a center pole 101 being connected by a crossover102 to a vertically disposed pole 103 which is connected by crossoverleg 104 to vertical pole 106. In like fashion, crossover legs 107, 108,109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114 and 115 connect vertically disposed poles116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123 and 124. Planes A, B, C and Dcorrespond to previously described vertical planes A, B, C and D, andare substantially parallel to the vertical axis of the poles and array.Here again, it will be seen that any point, designated v positioned onany of these planes a distance r at least equal to the spacing s betweenthe exterior surfaces of the most proximate viewable pole and theexterior surface of the nearest pole thereto will give the vieweranunobscured view of at least about 75 percent or greater of theviewable exterior facing sufaces of all of the poles. In this particularcase, the percentage of the exterior facing surfaces viewed isapproximately 83%.

In order to better understand the invention, itis further explained inthe following alternative approach,

reference being made to the above described drawing.

It is to be emphasized that the herebelow given explanation constitutes,and includes, differences relating only to pragmatic approach, and nodifferences as to structure or relationship of elements, this portion ofthe specificationsimply forming a further explanation embodying somewhatdifferent terminology.

The lighting array, and the various embodiments thereof describedheretofore, may be alternatively -so described as follows.

The centrally located pole, spaced substantially equal distances fromthe remaining poles, has an exterior surface, as illustrated in all ofits embodiments.

Each of the remaining poles has an exterior wall, also, which wall has aradially, most inwardly positioned portion, i.e. in the direction of thecenter of the substantially circular plane. Each of the said remainingpoles is so positioned that any line drawn on its radially, mostinwardly positioned portion, or any portion closely adjacent thereto,and connected with, any similar point on each of its most proximatepoles, has every point along such a line, or lines, positioned radiallyoutwardly from the exterior surface, or any portion thereof, of thecentrally located pole, so as not to touch the same.

Furthermore, each of such inwardly positioned wall portions of theremaining poles has a point thereon radially nearest to the exteriorwall of the center pole, and these points are spaced from the centerpole exterior wall a fixed distance, or substantially equal distances.Furthermore, each of said inwardly positioned wall portions of saidremaining poles has a point thereon nearest to the exterior wall of itsmost proximate pole which points are spaced therefrom a second fixeddistance, which second fixed distance is at least twice as great as saidfirst distance.

Referring to the FIGS. of the drawing, it will be seen that the lines47, 79, 88 and 88, as representative of the stated pole-to-pole lines,do not touch the exterior walls of center poles 34, 71 and 81. The firstfixed distance between the point of the outer poles and the inner poleis shown as a, f, i, q. The second fixed distance is shown as c, g, jand p.

While the points of observation have been described as quite close tothe light array of the invention, it is understood that this has beendone to define the minimum points of observation with relation to thearrays of the invention.

ln normal use of the invention the observer is positioned relativelydistant from the light array, the distance between the observer and thelight array being many multiples of the distances between the poles ofthe array.

The structures described above and defined in the appended claims thusachieve two results not possible by the construction of the prior artdevices. First, they allow an observer moving relative to theillumination array to observe the maximum of the viewable surface of thepoles of the array which are facing towards the observer. Secondly, theyallow such a moving observer to view those surfaces with either totalelimination of, or maximum reduction of, the amount of flicker. Asexplained above, flickering of light arrays in any of their usages,causes fatigue to the moving observer and also causes distraction. It isimportant for the pilot of a plane or of a boat, for example, to haveeliminated such distraction, so far as is possible, since any flickeringvisible to the pilot as he views the arrays which he is passing isdangerously distracting, it being understood that in most airports,roadways or other navigational channels, there is generally utilized aplurality, frequently in very large numbers, of illumination arrays,which in effect form a path to guide the moving observer along thedesired course whether on an airport runway, a roadway or a water orother navigational channel. Hence, the usage of a plurality of thestructures of the present invention eliminates the distraction andfatigue caused by the multiples of the prior art arrays as they flashpast the observer, while at the same time presenting to him the highest,relatively fixed, percentage of viewable surface attainable.

While the invention, as thus far described, has been directed to theconstruction of a light source which eliminates or reduces to a minimum,flicker and fatigue, particularly to a moving observer, it will beunderstood that there are certain instances in which, of necessity, theillumination source must be intentionally caused to flash. In suchusage, a third electrical connection is normally required to excite thegas to its illuminated state. Generally, as is known in the art, this isdone by an external wire, such as is utilized with flashing strobelights.

Among other uses for which the present illumination system is especiallyeffective is that of a flash source of light, particularly forphotographic purposes; in such use strobe effects are often desirable,so that some known source for creation of strobe lighting should beworkably coupled to the system.

In addition to the dispositions specifically shown, it should be obviousthat multiple array elements of the same or variable sizes made inaccordance with the invention can be arranged, if so desired, to providethe desired lighting of the invention. As stated, the legs or poles ofthe array element can comprise individual lighting elements notconnected as a single envelope without departing from the scope of thisinvention.

Within normal human physiological limits, the small light intensityvariations of some of the forms of the invention will not result innoticeable flicker to the average eye, and it should, therefore, beunderstood that, within the limits of the appended claims, the numberand size of the vertical poles and/or arrangement thereof can be variedas required.

What is new and therefore desired to be protected by Letters Patent ofthe United States is:

1. In a lighting element of the type wherein light is generated bypassing an electric current through at least one array of adjacentsubstantially parallel light poles, each said pole containing a gaseousmedium adapted to emit light when excited by the passage of saidcurrent, the improvement comprising disposing said poles to form aplurality of substantially parallel adjacent poles, said poles being atleast four in number, one of said poles being substantially centrallylocated relative to said remaining poles and spaced from said remainingpoles, said poles each having an axis, each of said axes beingsubstantially parallel to each other,

said poles being disposed such that at least about percent of theexterior facing surface areas thereof are viewable on any planesubstantially perpendicular to and passing through each of said axesfrom any point on any of said planes, any said point being spaced adistance from the viewable surface of the most proximate pole to saidpoint, which distance is at least equal to the spacing between theexterior surfaces of the most proximate viewable pole and the nearestpole thereto.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the percent of viewable surfacearray is substantially identical at any of said points on any of saidplanes.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein an envelope having a tortuousconfiguration forms the major portion of said array and includes all ofsaid plurality of poles, all

of said poles having substantially vertical axes and, said poles andaxes being substantially parallel.

4. A structure in accordance with claim 1 wherein said remaining polesare substantially cylindrically disposed and spaced from each other afixed distance, each of said axes being vertical.

5. The structure of claim 4 wherein each of said cylindrically disposedpoles is positioned a substantially equal distance from each of its nextmost proximate cylindrically disposed poles, each of said cylindricallydisposed poles having a substantially equal width, said distance beingsubstantially greater than said width and at least twice said width,said one substantially centrally located pole being positionedsubstantially central to said cylindrically disposed poles and having afixed width, said centrally located pole being spaced from each of saidcylindrically disposed poles a distance at least equal to said fixedwidth.

6. The structure of claim 4 wherein all of said poles have substantiallyequal widths.

7. The structure of claim 4 wherein the spaced distance of saidcentrally located pole from said remaining poles is substantially equalto the width of said cylindrically disposed poles.

8. The structure of claim 6 wherein the spaced distance of saidcylindrically disposed poles is substantially greater than the width ofeach of said cylindrically disposed poles.

9. The structure of claim 4 wherein the width of said centrally locatedpole is substantially twice the width of said cylindrically disposedpoles.

10. The structure of claim 1 and including an electrical connection onone pole and an electrical connection on one of said other poles.

11. A lighting element in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least twosubstantially identical arrays are positioned with their poles inspaced, parallel relation, the individual poles of the first arrayhaving the same spatial relation to each other as those of the secondarray, the second of said arrays being circumferentially displaced fromthe first of said arrays.

12. The structure of claim 1 and including support means for saidlighting element, at least one of said poles extending into said supportmeans.

13. The structure of claim 12 and including a top conical reflectorpositioned on said support means above most of said array and a bottomconical reflector positioned on said support means below most of saidarray, at least one of said poles extending through at least one of saidreflectors.

14. The structure of claim 13, and including a cylindrical lens carriedby said support means and surround ing said poles.

15. The structure of claim 1, and including an external intermittentexcitation source.

16. In a lighting element of the type wherein light is generated bypassing an electric current through a plurality of generally parallel,contiguous poles forming an array for illumination purposes, said polescontaining a gaseous medium adapted to emit light when excited by thepassage of said current, the improvement comprising disposing saidplurality of substantially parallel poles in connective gaseous andelectrical relation, said parallel poles being at least four in number,one of said poles being substantially centrally located relative to eachof said remaining poles and spaced from said remaining polessubstantially equal distances, said array having a substantiallyunidirectional axis,

said centrally located pole having an exterior surface, each of saidremaining poles having an exterior wall having a radially, most inwardlypositioned portion, each of said remaining poles being positioned suchthat any line drawn from any point on its said radially most inwardlypositioned portion to any point on the radially most inwardly positionedportion of each of its most proximate poles, has every point along saidline positioned radially outwardly from the exterior surface of saidcentrally located pole, each of said inwardly positioned wall portionshaving a point thereon radially nearest to the exterior wall of saidcenter pole and spaced therefrom a first fixed distance, each of saidinwardly positioned wall portions having a point thereon nearest to theexterior wall of its most proximate pole and spaced therefrom a secondfixed distance, said second fixed distance being at least twice theamount of said first distance.

17. In a lighting element of the type wherein light is generated bypassing an electric current through at least one elongated envelopearray containing a gaseous medium adapted to emit light when excited bythe passage of said current, the improvement comprising disposing saidenvelopes to form a plurality of substantially parallel vertical poles,said vertical poles being at least four in number, one of said verticalpoles being substantially centrally located relative to said remainingpoles and spaced from said remaining poles, said array having asubstantially vertical axis,

each of said poles having a substantially equal width,

each of said poles being spaced from the pole most proximate thereto adistance substantially equal to the said width thereof.

1. In a lighting element of the type wherein light is generated bypassing an electric current through at least one array of adjacentsubstantially parallel light poles, each said pole containing a gaseousmedium adapted to emit light when excited by the passage of saidcurrent, the improvement comprising disposing said poles to form aplurality of substantially parallel adjacent poles, said poles being atleast four in number, one of said poles being substantially centrallylocated relative to said remaining poles and spaced from said remainingpoles, said poles each having an axis, each of said axes beingsubstantially parallel to each other, said poles being disposed suchthat at least about 75 percent of the exterior facing surface areasthereof are viewable on any plane substantially perpendicular to andpassing through each of said axes from any point on any of said planes,any said point being spaced a distance from the viewable surface of themost proximate pole to said point, which distance is at least equal tothe spacing between the exterior surfaces of the most proximate viewablepole and the nearest pole thereto.
 2. The structure of claim 1 whereinthe percent of viewable surface array is substantially identical at anyof said points on any of said planes.
 3. The structure of claim 1wherein an envelope having a tortuous configuration forms the majorportion of said array and includes all of said plurality of poles, allof said poles having substantially vertical axes and, said poles andaxes being substantially parallel.
 4. A structure in accordance withclaim 1 wherein said remaining poles are substantially cylindricallydisposed and spaced from each other a fixed distance, each of said axesbeing vertical.
 5. The structure of claim 4 wherein each of saidcylindrically disposed poles is positioned a substantially equaldistance from each of its next most proximate cylindrically disposedpoles, each of said cylindrically disposed poles having a substantiallyequal width, said distance being substantially greater than said widthand at least twice said width, said one substantially centrally locatedpole being positioned substantially central to said cylindricallydisposed poles and having a fixed width, said centrally located polebeing spaced from each of said cylindrically disposed poles a distanceat least equal to said fixed width.
 6. The structure of claim 4 whereinall of said poles have substantially equal widths.
 7. The structure ofclaim 4 wherein the spaced distance of said centrally located pole fromsaid remaining poles is substantially equal to the width of saidcylindrically disposed poles.
 8. The structure of claim 6 wherein thespaced distance of said cylindrically disposed poles is substantiallygreater than the width of each of said cylindrically disposed poles. 9.The structure of claim 4 wherein the width of said centrally locatedpole is substantially twice the width of said cylindrically disposedpoles.
 10. The structure of claim 1 and including an electricalconnection on one pole and an electrical connection on one of said otherpoles.
 11. A lighting element in accordance with claim 1, wherein atleast two substantially identical arrays are positioned with their polesin spaced, parallel relation, the individual poles of the first arrayhaving the same spatial relation to each other as those of the secondarray, the second of said arrays being circumFerentially displaced fromthe first of said arrays.
 12. The structure of claim 1 and includingsupport means for said lighting element, at least one of said polesextending into said support means.
 13. The structure of claim 12 andincluding a top conical reflector positioned on said support means abovemost of said array and a bottom conical reflector positioned on saidsupport means below most of said array, at least one of said polesextending through at least one of said reflectors.
 14. The structure ofclaim 13, and including a cylindrical lens carried by said support meansand surrounding said poles.
 15. The structure of claim 1, and includingan external intermittent excitation source.
 16. In a lighting element ofthe type wherein light is generated by passing an electric currentthrough a plurality of generally parallel, contiguous poles forming anarray for illumination purposes, said poles containing a gaseous mediumadapted to emit light when excited by the passage of said current, theimprovement comprising disposing said plurality of substantiallyparallel poles in connective gaseous and electrical relation, saidparallel poles being at least four in number, one of said poles beingsubstantially centrally located relative to each of said remaining polesand spaced from said remaining poles substantially equal distances, saidarray having a substantially unidirectional axis, said centrally locatedpole having an exterior surface, each of said remaining poles having anexterior wall having a radially, most inwardly positioned portion, eachof said remaining poles being positioned such that any line drawn fromany point on its said radially most inwardly positioned portion to anypoint on the radially most inwardly positioned portion of each of itsmost proximate poles, has every point along said line positionedradially outwardly from the exterior surface of said centrally locatedpole, each of said inwardly positioned wall portions having a pointthereon radially nearest to the exterior wall of said center pole andspaced therefrom a first fixed distance, each of said inwardlypositioned wall portions having a point thereon nearest to the exteriorwall of its most proximate pole and spaced therefrom a second fixeddistance, said second fixed distance being at least twice the amount ofsaid first distance.
 17. In a lighting element of the type wherein lightis generated by passing an electric current through at least oneelongated envelope array containing a gaseous medium adapted to emitlight when excited by the passage of said current, the improvementcomprising disposing said envelopes to form a plurality of substantiallyparallel vertical poles, said vertical poles being at least four innumber, one of said vertical poles being substantially centrally locatedrelative to said remaining poles and spaced from said remaining poles,said array having a substantially vertical axis, each of said poleshaving a substantially equal width, each of said poles being spaced fromthe pole most proximate thereto a distance substantially equal to thesaid width thereof.